Heroism Comes in Threes
by Swift tales
Summary: Superman Returns fic. Richard/Clark relationship this means slash! Why? Because I saw the movie last week and I had to write this, I simply had to. Summary: In this lifetime, there are three great heroes


Heroism comes in threes

**Heroism comes in threes **

Richard White certainly never considered himself to be a hero. When he went out in the ocean to save Jason and Lois, he was only doing what any good man would do. He was going out there to save the people he loved, to save his family. There hadn't been a moment of doubt or hesitation when he got into his plane and started off into the air. He simply did what he had to do. He simply did what was right.

He certainly didn't feel like a hero when he was trapped in that ship, Lois unconscious over his shoulder and Jason's arms clutching his neck as he sat on his Richard's back. He didn't feel like a hero when the ship sunk down down down into the ocean and the small air bubble in the ship grew smaller and smaller. He didn't feel like a hero when he realized with a cold hand clutching his belly that Jason and Lois were going to die and that there was nothing he could do to save them.

But when he saw those boots through the small window and he could see the distant light of the sky coming closer, he could feel hope bubbling up inside of him. It burned stronger in his chest, licking at his throat, when Superman reached out a hand.

"Do you have them?"

Those eyes watching him were bluer then blue and Richard could see, could _feel,_ what it was about Superman that had Lois aching deep inside her chest. He could feel what had Lois murmuring 'Superman' in her sleep while clutching her pillow, her back turned to Richard. He could feel what it was that had Lois denying her heart during the hours of the day, when she kissed Richard and told him she loved him.

Those eyes struck something deep inside of him, a cord inside his heart that resonated with sound and Richard had only felt that emotion once before. He had seen those eyes only once before, hidden behind thick glasses and fumbling words and gestures. Maybe the realization should have surprised him, should have baffled him. But that same cord twanged with want and desire and pure knowledge of something so right and true that he simply accepted.

So he let go, released himself to the cold of the water around him while his hands stretched out to the blue and red sun that shone in front of him. His hand was caught and he was lifted into the air and he was flying, without wings, without a plane, simply flying, suspending in the air by one hand clutching the power of a man that would never answer the ache in his chest.

In that moment however, that knowledge hardly mattered, because Superman had saved him, had saved Lois, but most importantly, Superman had saved Jason. Superman had saved the person that Richard loved most in this world. And to Richard, that was all that really mattered.

But what he would never realize in this lifetime, was the immense sacrifice that shone out in Richard's eyes. He could have died in that ship just as he could have stayed home and contact the authorities to go look for Jason and Lois instead of going out there himself. Superman saw it that day, as he saw it many days after that.

Richard White was a hero.

--

Jason had always known that his parents were heroes. They wrote stories that told the truth and sometimes bad men were put away because of that. They exposed the truth and used their words to bring justice, that was what his mommy always said and when Jason called her a hero she smiled and said that everyone was a hero in their own way. Later, when Jason was all grown up he would recognize the smug smile she gave him afterwards.

When he was little and he told his daddy that he thought his daddy was a hero, Richard would laugh and shake his head. He'd say that everyone was born with the potential for heroism, but that only a few people had to strength to carry the burden of being a real hero. Jason didn't understand what that meant, being a hero seemed great, but his daddy was pretty smart, so he didn't argue.

But after Jason had nearly drowned on that boat and after Jason had gone to visit Superman in the hospital things changed. Now if Jason said his father was a hero, his daddy gave him a sad smile and there was strange look in his eyes. He would ruffle Jason's hair and say that Jason should look to greater heroes in his life for a role model. Later, when Jason was all grown up, he would recognize the haunted look in Richard's eyes.

When Jason told Clark that his parents were heroes, Clark gave him a careful look and asked why. So Jason explained, about truth and words and articles and Clark smiled and nodded. Jason could see that Clark was being sincere, he wasn't just pretending to agree like some grown-ups did when Jason talked to them. Clark had listened to Jason, really listened and he agreed.

And then Clark would look across the bullpen, towards Richard's office and he'd smile and ruffle Jason's hair.

"Your dad is the kind of hero that everyone should be."

He didn't stutter or stammer when he said it and he sounded just a bit different, so Jason knew that this was a special moment that Jason couldn't talk about with anyone else. And Clark still looked across the bullpen and there was a smile on his face and Jason wanted him to take off his glasses. Later, when Jason was all grown up, he would recognize the longing splashed across Clark's face, only partly hidden by glasses.

At that moment however, Jason thought that if Clark, who had been all over the world and who ran into buildings on fire and flew into the air to catch people falling to their deaths, if Clark agreed that his daddy was a hero, then it simply _had _to be true.

After all, Clark Kent was a hero, too.

--

Kal watched as the light glinted of the thousand crystals. His Fortress of Solitude had been silent for years, as the controlling crystals had gone missing thanks to Luthor, but the simple beauty and peace it offered was still able to take his breath away. The calm and solemn air of the majestic towers was still enough to bring him comfort and distant memories of a place that might have been 'home' in another lifetime and weren't really memories.

A hand gripped his and squeezed gently, Kal squeezed back, years of habit and practice and being careful made it practically effortless for him to squeeze back without being afraid of crushing the delicate human hand. Practically.

"He's ready, to see this." Kal said and knew it was true. Kal didn't like it, hadn't ever really wanted this for him. Kal had always been very clear that his choises were his own and that there was no pressure to follow in those choices. A part of Kal agonized over it, his big heart tearing in his chest, because there was so much danger and so much anger out there in the world still and although they were invulnerable, they weren't immortal and the secret of Kryptonite wasn't such a secret anymore in the world of criminals.

He squeezed the hand again, more for his own comfort then for the other man's benefit. He glanced sideways and smiled. That ache in his chest, an ache that had come to throb with pleasure instead of pain years ago, flared briefly before continuing to pulse gently deep inside of him. It had taken them a while to get this far, because after all, how could Kal have known that _Richard, _of all people would want to have something like this with him.

He turned back to watch over the Fortress of Solitude and he closed his eyes briefly to search out the slow heartbeat that mirrored his own. His son was coming their way, flying quickly across the sky to meet his fathers, stopping occasionally to help people in need, to help people crying out for a saviour. Soon however, there was a rush of air, a gust of wind and Kal suppressed the urge to reach for Richard and protect him from it.

He turned around and was met with a sight that had inspired hope in mankind for decades. A tall man stood across from them, dressed in a suit of primary colours and milliskin, his red cape flapping in the breeze beside him, the symbol of the House of El emblazoned on his chest. As Jason had inherited his father's strength, he had inherited his father's suit.

Jason White-Kent was a hero.

Fin


End file.
